Speed-change mechanism



IVI. C. FHINS.

SPEED CHANGE IIIECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I6. |920.

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IVI. C. PRINS. SPEED CHANGE MECHANISM. APPLICATAoNmED1uLv|6.192o.

Avmgl. A muted Apr. 19,1921.,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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, Pf f M. C. FRINS.

SPEED CHANGE MECHANISM.

APPLlCATlON FILED IULY 16.1920. 4

1,375,216. Patented Apr. 19, 1921..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESS As illustrated, the rod c has mounted slidably thereon a sleevef which carries a shifter fork f adapted to control movement ofappropriate gears in the transmission Z) to give rst and second speedsaccording to the position of the fork. On the same rod c is mounted asleeve g carrying a shifter fork g whose position, as determined by theoperator, governs the third and fourth speed gears in the transmissionZ). On the other rod CZ is mounted slidably a sleeve Zt carrying ashifter fork h for the appropriate gear for reverse speed. Having thevarious elements thus far described it will be understood that shiftermechanism therefor must be of such character as to loclrin predeterminedposition all parts which are inoperative in one condition of thetransmission while effecting operative connection between the driversshifting member and the element which needs to be shifted to govern thedesired condition in the gear set. ft is with this change speedmechanism that the invention is primarily concerned, The selector shafte as hereinbefore stated, is slidable axially and can be rocked underthe control of a suitable actu ating member (not illustrated) which isoperatively connected therewith in a manner now commonly employed. Onthis selector shaft c is feathered a sleeve z' on each end of which iscarried a segmental locking member i', 2. Between the locking membersc", 2 rests a stop e which, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed asan integral dependent rib on the inner wall of the cover plate Z2 forthe gearbox a. It is to be understood that some other form of stopconveniently mounted on the gear box may be employed, its function beingto hold the sleeve a' against axial movement with the selector shaft ewhile permitting its rocking movement with Said shaft. As shown clearlyin Fig. 5 the shaft c is provided with a long key e which slides freelyin a key-way in the sleeve e' so as to constitute the featheredengagement described.

At one side of the locking member i', 2 is secured to the shaft ashifter member 7c having segmental shifter fingers c, 762, while at theother side of said locking members is secured on the shaft c a secondshifter member Z carrying segmental shifter fingers Z, Z2. A convenientconstruction of such shifter members contemplates a split collar formedwith a clamping bolt m and cooperating nut m fastened thereon forsecuring said shifterV members adjustably on the shaft.

The sleeves 7, g and Zz, are preferably formed with elongated bosses f2,g2, 7b2, respectively, extending generally inwardly toward the lockingfingers i', 2 and shifter lingers 7;, 7g2, Z, Z2 and these bosses areprovided with entering slots f3, ft, g3, g4 and h3, it in the sleevesbearing corresponding reference characters, for the purpose of receivingone of the locking fingers or one of the shifter fingers a cording tothe function of the slot and its relation to said fingers. The slots f4,h3 are adapted to receive the shifter fingers c, 762, respectively; theslots f3, if are adapted to receive the locking fingers 2; the slot gtis adapted to receive the locking finger z" and the slot g3 is adaptedto receive the shifter finger Z. For mechanical reasons it is preferredto bevel the faces of the bosses f2, g2, h2 and provide on the lockingfingers i, 2 radial flanges adapted to engage the beveled faces of thebosses f2, g2, respectively, at the limit of travel of the respectivefingers in one direction. This engagement will constitute a rotarialstop for the rock shaft and automatically position the shifter fingersproperly within the slots in which they rest preliminary to movement ofthe sleeves in which they are formed.

in order to indicate somewhat to the operator the extreme positions oftravel of 'the several forks and to maintain them yieldingly in fixedrelation to the respective supporting rods after shifting, each of thesleeves f, g, lt, has mounted thereon a springpressed detent, indicatedgenerally at f5, g5 and it, but shown in detail only at The nose of eachof these detents g is adapted to cooperate with notches such as c', c2,c3, or c5 formed in the rod c and in case of the detent Zzf" tocooperate with notches (Z, (Z2 formed in the supporting rod CZ.

The operation of ther improved change speed mechanism can best beunderstood by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings in which the elementsare thrown into perspective. ln this view the parts are shown in therelationship in which tl ey will rest when the reverse gear in thetransmission is engaged.. rlhe selector shaft e has been rocked to suchposition as will throw the locking linger 'i2 in the slot ,f3 so as tolock the first and second speed forli ,f positively against axialmovement. This position of the shaft c will also throw the lockinglinger z" into the slot g4 of the sleeve g so as to lock the third andfourth speed fork g against movement. The shifter finger Z will bethrown out of the slot g3. rihe lower portion of the locking finger 2will be thrown out of the slot 7L* in the sleeve ZL for the reverse forkZt. The finger r2 of the shifter member 7c will be thrown into the slot7a3 of the sleeve ZL, there y engaging the shifter fork Zi. for thereverse gear opera` tively with the slidable selector shaft e. The otherfinger 7c of this shifter device 7c will be thrown out of engagementwith the slot ft of the sleeve f for the first and second speed fork f.lWith the parts in the position described axial movement of the selectorshaft c will serve to slide the sleeve ZL.

At one extreme position of travel the nose of the detent h5 will engagethe notch Z2 in the rod d when the reverse gear willV be found properlyunmeshed. At the other extreme position of travel of the sleeve thedetent h5 will engage the notch d when the parts will be shown in properneutral7 position preliminary to such selective actuation of the reversegear.

With the several forks in neutral position, in which they will be, asviewed in Fig. 4, when the sleeve 7L is slid toward the right until thedetent h5 engages the notch d first and second speeds of the vehicle canbe effected by rocking the selector shaft e in a counter-clockwisedirection. rlhis will bring the shifter finger 7cv into the slot f4 andwill disengage the finger 7a2 from the slot 7a3. It will throw the lowerportion of the locking finger 2 into the slot 71,4 without engaging theelongated upper section thereof from the slot f3. The segmental lockingfinger z" will remain in the slot g4 and the shifter finger Z will notenter the slot g3. With the parts in this position when the rod e isslid axially so as to move the sleeve y toward the right the nose of thedetent f5 will be brought into engagement with the notch c when the gearwill be found positioned for the first speed. If the sleeve is slid tothe left, as viewed in Fig. 4, until the nose of the detent f5 restswithin the notch 03 then the gearing will be foundd in proper positionto effect second spee With the parts in neutral position as describedabove and the sleeve f in the position shown in Fig. 4 the shaft e canbe rocked further in a counter-clockwise direction to bring the shifterfinger Z into the slot g3 for shifting for third and fourth speeds.During this rocking the locking finger e" will be carried out of theSlot g4. The upper portion of the locking finger 2 will engage in theslot f3, the lower portion thereof will remain in the slot h4, and theshifter fingers, c, 702, will be free from engagement with either of thesleeves 7 or it, respectively. Movement of the shaft e axially towardthe right, as viewed in Fig. 4, will slide the sleeve g until the noseof the detent g5 engages the notch 03 in the shaft c when the parts ofthe gearing will be found in posltion to effect third speed, whereas ifthe sleeve g be slid in the opposite direction to its eXtreme, thedetent g5 will engage the notch c5 when the gear is set for fourthspeed.

Aside from the action of the several detents f5, g5, h5, in indicatingthe relative positions of the sleeves in which they are mounted and inarresting the movement of such sleeves in proper position, all of theparts may be so constructed and related as to insure the positivelimitation of the limits of travel of the selector shaft e in eitherdirection. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4, the shifter member 7c isadapted to be brought into engagement with the face of the lockingfinger 2 when the reverse gear has been moved into proper position. Inthe same way, the shifter finger Z, will limit the movement of theselector shaft e when the sleeve g is being moved into position forfourth speed. Conversely, the shifter member Z may be so related to thelocking finger i as to engage it or for the purpose of sliding thesleeve 7 to position for first speed in the gear set. Such positiveengagement of parts will, of course, absolutely prevent overrunning inany one of the positions.

The description given isthought to be clear. It is again to beemphasized that the automatic locking and picking up arrangement onwhich the invention is based can be incorporated in connection withtransmissions of any approved-change speed type and the parts employedor their equivalents can be constructed of dierent forms from thoseherein illustrated and be differently related without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. Change speed mechanism comprising slidable shifter forks, a selectorshaft, locking members for the forks feathered on the shaft and means tohold the locking members against displacement.

2. Change speed mechanism comprising slidable shifter forks, a Selectorshaft, locking members for the forks feathered on the shaft and a stopmounted on the gear case to hold the locking members against axial`displacement.

8. Change speed mechanism comprising slidable shifter forks, a selectorshaft, a sleeve feathered on the shaft, locking members for the forkscarried on the sleeve and means to hold the sleeve against axialdisplacement.

4. Change speed mechanism comprising slidable shifter forks, a selectorshaft, locking members for the forks feathered on the shaft, means tohold the locking members against axial displacement and independentshifter devices secured to the shaft for selective engagement of theforks.

5. Change speed mechanism comprising slidable shifter forks, a selectorshaft, locking members for the forks feathered on the shaft, means tohold the locking members against axial displacement and independentshifter devices secured to the shaft for selective engagement of theforks, said shifter forks being provided with slots to receive theshifter devices and with independent slots to receive the lockingmembers.

6. Change speed mechanism comprising slidable shifter forks, a selectorshaft, locking members for the forks feathered on the shaft and a stopmounted on' the gear case to hold the locking members against vaxialdisplacement, said stop serving to limit the travel of the selectorshaft in shifting.

7. In a change speed gear box, shifter mechanism comprising a slidablerock shaft, fixed rods, shifter forks mounted slidably on said rods, alocking member for the forks comprising a sleeve feathered on the shaftand having vintegral fingers thereon to engage the forks selectively, astop to hold the sleeve against axial. movement, and shifter fingersfixed on the shaft to engage the shifter forks selectively.

8. In a change speed gear box, shifter mechanism comprising a slidablerock shaft, fixed rods, shifter forks for the first and second speedsand for the third and fourth speeds supported slidably on one ofrsaidrods, a fork for the reverse gear` supported slidably on the other ofsaid rods, a locking member for the forks comprising a sleeve featheredon the shaft and having an integral finger to engage the third andfourth speed fork and having another integral finger to engage the firstand second speed forkand the reverse fork, a stop to hold the sleeveagainst axial movement, a shifter member on the rock shaft to engage thethird and fourth speed fork, and an independent shifter member carriedon said shaft to engage the first and second speed fork and also thereverse speed fork.

9. In a change speed gea-r box, shifter mechanism comprising a slidablerock shaft, fixed rods, sleeves mounted slidabiy on said rods andcarrying, respectively, shifter forks for Vfirst and second speed, forthird and fourth speed and for reverse, locking members, and independentshifter members on the rock shaft to engage the supporting sleeves forsaid forks respectively, bosses formed on the sides Vof the sleeves ofthe shifter forks having beveled faces and provided Withslots to receivethe locking and shifter members selectively, and fingers on the lockingmembers to engage the beveled `faces in extreme angular positions on therock shaft. Y

This specification signed this 13th day of Juiy, A. I). 1920.

MAXIMILIAN C. PRINS.

